On Our Way, Part 2 of RhiannonDarren Trilogy
by WeMeow2
Summary: Rhi and Darren work through the growth of their family, and the loss of a loved one. Sequel to Finding Our Way and Rhiannon Trilogy - Nothing Ever Happens, Something Is Happening, Anything Can Happen - would recommend reading those first so this makes more sense. Rated T for occasional sexual references
1. Saving the Best for Last

Chapter 1: Saving the Best for Last

I rested my head on the steering wheel after pulling into our driveway. Wearing a tired smile, I said out loud, "I made it. WE made it!" I rubbed my hand gently over my prominent baby bump.

It was the last day of school, and my co-workers had sort of surprised me with a baby shower after our early dismissal. Since they knew I wasn't a big fan of surprises - although I was getting less freaked out by them now that they happened more often - they told me to show up in the faculty lounge immediately after the last bell but wouldn't spill any details beforehand.

The shower had had a book theme, so I could have started my own library with the overflowing bags of kids' titles in the back seat. Of course, they had also given us baby clothes - why is everything so much cuter when it's tiny? - and a variety of other infant paraphernalia.

I climbed slowly out of the car - I did everything slowly these days - deciding to let Darren unload our haul, contrary to my usual insistence to bring everything in immediately. I opened the front door, calling out "Megan! Darren! I'm home!"

Darren ran down the stairs with his headphones around his neck - that's why he didn't hear me pull in - and wrapped his arms around me, greeting me with his adorable smile and a welcoming kiss. He had just started working on his second album after finishing a successful mini-tour to support the first one, so he was spending most of his days in his studio.

"How did everything go, sweetie? Did your last day stuff turn out all right? How was the party? Did you tell everyone thanks for me? Did you get enough to eat? Why don't you come and sit..."

I put my finger to Darren's lips to stop the flow of questions. "Shhh, Dare...it was all great," I said with a grin and he led me to the couch. Megan jumped up to lay beside me and started purring loudly when I began petting her.

"Tell me everything, Rhi. I really wish I could have made it today."

"Dare, you couldn't skip that interview. A blurb in 'The Rolling Stone' is too huge to miss. Besides, we can re-live it when you carry all the gifts in from the car and help me put everything away."

Darren shook his head with a wry grin. Of course, he would never be obsessed with neatness like I was, but he was coming to appreciate the value of things being where they belonged.

"You look tired, Rhi. Do you want to take a nap with me before dinner? I could use a break too..."

"That sounds perfect, Darren. But, can I ask you a question first?"

Darren paused before answering because he could guess what was coming. "Anything, Rhi," he replied as usual, even though I knew he probably wasn't thrilled about discussing this topic AGAIN!

"Are you sure that I should go back to school in the fall? I know it will be almost two months after LG is born, and I know that you are more than capable of taking care of him, but I still feel...strange about asking Rita to be our back-up..."

Rubbing his thumb over my fingers to comfort me, Darren replied gently, "Rhiannon, you know that we've asked Rita multiple times if she is okay with this whole set-up, and I don't see what we can do besides take her at her word. She's excited about helping, and about being an honorary grandma. Don't forget that Jeff will be her back-up too. And it will be so much better for LG - and us - to have people looking after him that we love and trust. This was her idea in the first place, remember?"

"I know, Dare, it's just that...I feel like we're taking advantage of the situation..."

He pulled me down to lay beside him on the couch and soothingly ran his fingers over my belly which usually calmed all three of us. "Rhiannon, I think this is the right thing to do. But, we've still got time to think about it. Even if you take maternity leave, you won't have to let the school know until the beginning of August." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm wondering if your hesitation isn't due to nerves about leaving LG every day? We both know that will be...hard, but...I don't want you to give up this job that you enjoy so much. With some help, we can make this work." He lightly kissed me, then said, "Close your eyes and rest, sweetie. We can talk about this more while we eat."

I snuggled into him, sighing with contentment as my eyes drifted shut. After a minute, Darren said quietly, "Rhi? Are you awake enough to answer a question?"

"Barely."

He paused and then with a grin in his voice, he asked, "Why does Megan still get top billing when you come home?"

I stroked his cheek and responded sleepily, "Saving the best for last, my love."


	2. The Name Game

Chapter 2: The Name Game

I moved into baby preparation mode big time. Rita said I was nesting, since we only had about four weeks to go until our Little Guy - LG - was due to appear.

We had decided months before to rearrange our office to make it an office/guest room and then to turn the guest room into a nursery. Holding off on the actual decorating until we learned that we were having a boy, we had several...discussions on how to proceed.

Darren wanted LG to be open to all of life's possibilities right from the start, so even though I assured him that nature nearly always beat nurture on this one, he insisted that we avoid the whole "blue is for boys" notion. Other than that, he left the decorating up to me, so I chose a moss green decor with buttery yellow and chocolate brown accents, directing him in the painting since he refused to let me do the actual work. After it was finished, Darren said the baby's room reminded him of the great outdoors without the bugs and weeds. Not my original goal, but certainly an added bonus.

Now that I was home all day, I started working on a nursery storage system that would allow for maximum efficiency. I knew I was fighting a losing battle with Darren being in charge during the week and a baby's whims determining what ultimately happened, but I figured it was a good place to start.

So far, we had gotten gifts in the mail from Mrs. Donovan and Laura at the book store, as well as some of the Glee folks. Chris and Lea had delivered their baby presents when they took us out for our monthly group dinner. Rita had also arranged a neighborhood baby shower, and she and Jeff had gone in together to buy a beautiful mahogany crib that would convert to a toddler bed and then a twin.

We all laughed at the t-shirts just like the ones from Glee's "Born This Way" episode that Jeff had also gotten for us. The ones for LG said, "My mom's a planner," and "My dad wings it." Darren's read, "Messier than my kid," and mine had only two words: "Neat Freak." I couldn't resist and had one made for him in return to remind him of the day we met: "Garbage Grump."

After doing my own research and consulting with Dr. Dochios, I finally decided to go with an epidural for the birth. We also attended a few classes on breathing techniques, planning to combine the different methods in a way that made the most sense for us.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Assuming that LG made his debut on schedule, we had just returned from what would be my last weekly check-up. We called my parents on speaker phone so we could give them the latest update. They were so excited about the baby's impending arrival, planning to fly out the minute that I went into labor.

All four of us were chatting about what still needed to be done when my dad asked, "So, kids, any decisions on a name yet? As cute as it is, you can't keep calling him LG forever."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Needless to say, ever since we found out that we were having a boy, this had been a major topic of discussion. We listed our options in a notebook that we kept in the kitchen for sudden inspiration, and about a week before the end of school Darren had an epiphany.

"RHI!" he shouted from the kitchen where I thought he had been cleaning up after dinner. "RHI! Come here!"

I couldn't tell if he was good-excited or bad-excited, so I moved as fast as I could from our office where I was working on end-of-year reports. "Dare? What's wrong? Are you okay?"

He grabbed my hands with a huge smile on his face, and I collapsed onto a stool in relief. "Dare, don't do that to a majorly pregnant woman."

"Sorry, sweetie. I go so excited…I forgot that I should have come to you… But I have to tell you... something just occurred to me about LG's name. We want something meaningful, but also something that will be his alone. Something unique, but not something weird..."

"Like Rhiannon," I interrupted with a scowl.

"Rhi, your name is interesting and lyrical and suits you perfectly," Darren assured me with a peck on my cheek. "Anyway...what about Harris?"

I sat up straighter. Harris...hmmm...that had real possibilities...

"And we could call him Harry. I fooled with the initials and plays on words and nothing nasty pops up. What do you think?"

"Dare, I think...you're brilliant!" I pulled him to me for a hug. "But, what about a middle name?"

"Well, since Harris is your family's last name, how about Charles? Still nothing bad with the initials, and it would mean so much to my dad...but, only if you want to..."

I silenced my husband with an intense kiss. "It's perfect, Dare. Just perfect!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I could hear my parents sniffling on the other end of the phone. "Mom? Dad? Don't you like it? Oh, Dare, they don't like it..."

My dad burst in, "Rhiannon! We love it! It's just right. It carries something from both of your families, and it's a bit different, but not TOO different. Have you told your parents yet, Darren?"

"Earlier today and they basically said the same thing, Art. We're so happy to finally have settled on something that everyone likes."

My mom chuckled, and said, "Now let's hope LG likes it." Then she asked worriedly, "How are Charles and Cerina and Grandma Criss, Darren? Are you sure that they're okay with coming down to LA after we leave?"

"Lilly, they're fine with it. Dad wanted to work something out so we didn't get tons of company right at the beginning, and Mom agreed. And I quote, 'A girl needs her mother at a time like this.' Right, Rhi?"

"That's what she said, Mom. They know that they'll get to see the baby in person a lot more than you will, so they're happy to step aside at the start."

As if she had forgotten Darren and I were on the phone, my mom said to my dad, "Art, we have to send them something as a thank you for being so understanding. Maybe some of your elderberry wine from last year?"

I chuckled, and interrupted, "Mom. We're still here."

"Oh, sorry, honey. We'll figure it out. We're so glad everything is going well. Darren, you'll call us the minute anything..."

"The very second, I promise."

"Have I told you what a sweet boy you are, Darren?"

"You have, Lilly, many times, but I never get tired of hearing it," my husband replied with that smile in his voice. "Give our love to Beth and Kevin and the kids. We'll get to your place for Christmas, no matter what, so they can meet their new cousin in the flesh."

My dad responded with a chuckle, "We will. The two youngest Harrises are beyond excited. Thank goodness for skyping, or else they would probably drive their parents nuts to get to that baby somehow."

I spontaneously burst into tears. "Oh, Dad, I'm sorry we live so far away. I don't know what to do..."

Darren broke in, "Lilly, Art, we've got to hang up...someone is having a hormonal meltdown. We'll call you in a couple of days regardless."

Hearing my distress, my mom started to cry as well, "Thank you for taking care of our girl, Darren...and our boy, too. We love you all..." she trailed off and, over my sobs, I could hear my dad comforting her on the other end of the phone.

Both trying hard not to chuckle, my dad and Darren bid each other farewell and clicked off. Then my husband took me in his arms and rubbed circles on my back until I got over my latest crying jag. I thought I heard him mumble, "Only one more week to go..."


	3. Heeeeeeeere's Harry!

Chapter 3: Heeeeeeere's Harry!

"Breathe, Rhiannon, take deep breaths...in...out..." Darren and I were staring into each other's eyes and I was trying to do as he asked, but...

"When...Dare?" I panted. "When do I...get the...epidural? Please...it hurts...so much..." I couldn't keep the tears from running down my face.

Darren reached out to brush them away, swiping at the ones on his cheeks as well. "Soon, Rhi, I promise, soon. You're almost there...as soon as you get into active labor..."

I let out a huge breath, and inhaled shakily, if a bit more normally. "If this is passive labor, I'm not sure I'm going to survive the active kind," I finished with a tired half smile.

"I love you so much, Rhiannon. Let me go get an update before another contraction starts."

I held onto his hand as he started toward the door. "Dare, I will love you more than you ever thought possible if you can do something about this pain."

He leaned over to give me a quick, hard kiss, and said, "Be right back...with a doctor wielding a syringe!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I can't believe it, Rhiannon. He's so beautiful. I hope he doesn't mind that he ended up with my curls, though." My husband leaned over our son - OUR SON! - to kiss me and then Harry on our foreheads.

"Those are one of my favorite things about his father, Darren, so he will embrace the curls if he knows what's good for him."

We grinned dopily at each other as we both held one of Harry's tiny hands while he slept in my arms. I was amazed at how I could love someone so much that I'd met less than a day ago. But then, basically the same thing had happened with his father. It was like the connection that had formed between Darren and I back at the book store in Wisconsin had multiplied exponentially and now tied all three of us to each other.

A light tapping brought us out of our reverie. My mom and dad peered around the barely open door with huge smiles on their faces.

I started to cry, and Darren grabbed a tissue to wipe away my tears. He was really getting good at that, but then he'd had lots of practice lately.

My husband walked over to my parents, and they both enveloped him in a huge hug. "Art, Lilly, come meet your new grandson, Harris Charles, aka Harry."

They approached the bed hesitantly, and when I held out my free hand to them, they leaned in to give me delicate hugs.

"Oh, Rhiannon, he's gorgeous. Are you okay?" my mom asked, putting her hand to my forehead, the time-worn method for mothers to check their children's health, no matter the situation.

"I'm fine, Mom. It's not an experience I'm anxious to repeat any time soon, but everything went exactly the way it should have, and now we've got our Little Guy." I held the baby up a bit, introducing him, "Harry, meet your Grandma and Grandpa."

"Can I hold him, Rhi?" my dad asked with a look of awe on his face.

"Of course you can, Dad," carefully handing Harry over to him.

And, naturally, tears welled up in my eyes again at the vision of my father holding my son while my husband gazed adoringly at our perfect little boy.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Rhi, I really hate to leave you tomorrow, but our tickets were only for two weeks..."

"Mom...you can't stay forever. Besides, Darren's folks will be here any minute, and Rita is right next door, so we'll still have plenty of help."

"I'm so glad that we'll be able to see Charles and Cerina and Grandma Criss, even if it's just for one night. The wedding seems like ages ago..."

"Eons, Mom, eons."

My mother chuckled as she walked to the door. "Do you two need anything? I'm going to go get dinner started..."

"We're fine, Mom." I smiled as I reached into the bassinet to brush some of those lovely curls away from Harry's face. "Just fine."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darren's family arrived on schedule, so we spent some time letting them get to know their grandson before we ate. Cerina especially couldn't seem to keep her eyes off Harry, and she finally explained to me that he looked almost identical to Darren when he was born. "Lucky boy," I commented, making her laugh.

After dinner our folks shooed us into the living room with Grandma Criss while they cleaned up, so Darren and I settled Harry in the portable crib where he promptly fell asleep. We were cuddled in each other's arms when all of the grandparents came in.

"Rhi? Darren? We need to talk to you about something."

Both Darren and I sat up straighter at the serious note in my dad's voice. My mom scolded him, "Art, you're scaring them! It's nothing bad, you two. But it is something important."

Everyone was seated by that time, so Darren and I held hands and waited for one of them to start.

Charles said, "Darren...Rhiannon...all of us are so proud of both of you, of the family you started when you got married, and have now expanded with Harry's arrival." Of course, everyone's eyes darted over to the baby, who slept on, oblivious to the conversation going on around him.

Cerina continued, "All five of have been discussing this...and we wanted to do something for you, and for Harry. Something helpful and long-lasting. I'm sure you have been wondering why none of us has bought you any baby gifts yet..."

Darren broke in, "Mom, none of you need to get us anything. We've got everything we need, and just you all being here is more than gift enough." My husband looked to me for confirmation, but I could only nod through my tears.

My mom reached out to hold my hand. "We've started an investment fund for Harry. It's not a college fund, because he might not want to go to college, but if he does, you two will have access to it when he turns 18. If he doesn't, then he'll have access to it when he turns 21."

Darren and I just looked at each other in shock.

"Mom...you didn't have to do that...really...it's too much..." I babbled.

"Yes, Rhiannon, yes, we did," Grandma Criss broke in. "We've all done something similar for our other grandchildren, but the five of us figured that if we pooled our resources, it would be of even more assistance in the long run. And, we will do the same for any other little ones that come along."

"So, kids," my dad began proudly, "as of right now, Harry's account has $10,000 in it and we'll all add to it for special occasions and such."

A hysterical laugh burst out of my mouth as Darren just stared at our respective parents. Worried that he had gone into shock, I asked, "Dare? Are you okay?"

My husband couldn't seem to produce words for a minute, but he finally said, "I am amazed...I am beyond the beyond...I am...speechless."

Everyone laughed when I declared, "All evidence to the contrary," and without worrying that we had an audience - of our elders, no less - I locked my lips on Darren's for a vaguely inappropriate kiss.


	4. MakeUp Is Hard to Do

Chapter 4: Make Up is Hard to Do

"Megan! Harry! Darren! I'm home!" I called out as I crossed our threshold. I'd had to update the roll call to include all the members of my family.

Darren emerged from the kitchen, trailed by our cat who was licking her chops, obviously having wheedled a pre-dinner treat out of my pushover husband.

As he approached me, Darren gently matched his lips to mine and said, "We missed you so much today, Mommy."

"I missed you guys more, Daddy. Where's Harry?"

"When he said he was hungry, I gave him a ten and sent him to go pick up some burgers," Darren answered with a sly grin.

"Very funny, Dare. That sounds like something Chuck would say. Did he and Kelly and Abby get off okay?" Darren's brother and his family had left some time after I had headed to work for the first day of school following their four-day meet-the-baby visit. Chuck joked about Harry's resemblance to Darren and how he had a second chance to torment my husband via his mini-me. Abby and Kelly were enamored with our son and his cousin in particular didn't want to leave his side. Her reaction made me wonder how Eliza and Billy would feel about Harry joining the family.

"Yeah, they had a couple of false starts because Abby REALLY didn't want to go, and Chuck forgot to pack some stuff, but they finally got on their way."

"We'll have to keep skyping them regularly, Dare, just like with Billy and Eliza. I want to make sure that Harry gets to know all his cousins."

Darren nodded and I wrapped my arms around my husband as we sat down on the couch, asking, "How did it go after they left? Any big issues?"

"Oh, he was a little fussy when I gave him his first bottle, but once he realized he was still going to get fed, even if it wasn't from...you...directly..." Darren trailed off as he started to blush. I was amused that, for once, I could embarrass him for a change. "He was fine."

"And how were things for you, Dare? Seriously...is this going to work? I know the dry runs went okay, but...how was the real deal?"

"I actually enjoyed myself, Rhi. Once we got into a rhythm, it was great. I can work in the studio while he's sleeping, and still hear him on the baby monitor. And, Harry's much more entertaining than watching ESPN or playing Halo when I need a break." He kissed me gently, then asked, "How was today for you, Rhi? I know that this...separation is going to be tough to get used to."

"I think it will be all right, Dare. I've got so much stuff to focus on at school that I can push missing him to the back of my mind. Then I can call home at lunch time for a booster shot of my boys. Oh, and Kathleen had a lock installed on my office door so no one can barge in while I'm pumping. Everyone asked to see pictures and wanted to know how he's doing. I'm thinking that I might bring him in after he's done with his four month immunizations. The kids are just over the moon to meet him and he'll be a little more lively then."

"That's a great idea, Rhi." Then he waited a few beats and asked with a look of concern. "Is there more, Rhiannon?" A few tears slipped down my cheeks, much to my dismay. Darren grabbed my hands to comfort me.

"I'm okay, Dare...I just...really missed him. It will get better."

"I know it will, Rhi. And I know that all the things you told me are true, but don't leave out the not-so-good stuff, okay? We can help each other with that, but only if we know about it, right?"

My husband knew me too well. "I just don't want to be a downer, Dare."

"You know what the doctor said. We have to be on the lookout for postpartum depression. Even if it hasn't shown up yet, it still could, especially with such a big change in your routine. Promise me you'll tell me when you're feeling...low?"

"Promise, Darren," I responded and gave him a resounding kiss to thank him for his thoughtfulness.

"Excellent!" my husband exclaimed with a grin. "I know just the thing to cheer you up. A certain curly-haired boy has been waiting for his mommy. Why don't you change into your PJs and feed Harry while I finish getting dinner ready?"

"A fabulous idea, Mr. Criss. You know where to find us," I called as I headed upstairs.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Our baby care plan went better than we could have hoped and before we knew it, a couple of months had passed and we were discussing Halloween costumes. Darren was planning for us to drop in at Chris' annual party and to take Harry trick-or-treating in the neighborhood - he was convinced he would be a candy magnet.

I trolled the internet looking for inspiration, eventually coming across a sleeper that looked like a mouse. Perfect! We would dress up as a family of pets: Harry would be a mouse, I would be a cat, and Darren would be a dog.

I ordered the sleeper, and Rita helped me put together some simple costumes made out of sweats. A few days before the big event, Darren was assigned to pick up some black eyeliner to use for our whiskers and such, but when I got home that night I was shocked at what I found.

Harry was sleeping peacefully in his kitchen swing, and Darren was slumped at the counter which was literally PILED with make-up. There were a dozen colors and brands each of eyeliner, eye shadow, blush, lipstick, mascara, and other things I couldn't immediately identify.

"Dare?" I said gently as I walked up to him. He didn't notice me until I rested my hand on his shoulder and then he jumped out of his skin.

"Darren? Honey? What's going on? What is all this stuff?"

Darren stared at me for a minute, and then took a shaky breath before he started rambling. "Oh, Rhi...you said black eyeliner, I know you did, but when we got to the store, there were so many brands, and I couldn't decide, so I picked up a bunch, and then I thought what if she said eye shadow? And then I couldn't decide on that, and just started throwing things in the cart. I couldn't stop myself, Rhi. It was like...this simple thing just did me in, and I couldn't remember what you said, and I couldn't make a decision, and..." He finally broke down and sobbed into my shoulder.

I was stunned, but obviously I needed to get Darren to calm down before we could discuss...whatever this was. "Darren, sweetie, let's go sit on the couch for a minute." He nodded and let me lead him like a child into the living room. I rubbed his back while I held him in my arms and waited for his crying to subside. Finally, he was sucking in shivering breaths and seemed to come back to himself.

"Oh, Rhi...you must think I'm an idiot. You asked me to do one simple thing, and I have a nervous breakdown."

"Dare, remember what you said to me that time in Vegas? I don't think you're an idiot. I think something's wrong and you've been hiding it for a while, right?"

He nodded slowly. "Tell me, Darren."

Inhaling deeply after I took his hands, he began. "Rhiannon, I love taking care of Harry, really I do. It's been so much fun to see him do new things every day and bond with him like a lot of fathers don't get to..."

"But..." I encouraged him to continue.

"But...I think I need a break. I need some adult conversation. Basically we do the same thing every day, and..."

"And when you were faced with doing something completely out of your frame of reference like buying cosmetics..."

"I went insane."

"You're not insane, Darren. You're overwhelmed, and I wasn't paying close enough attention to realize it."

With a shaky smile, he said, "Well, I am a professional actor, you know."

Ah, there was my adorable husband. It might take some work, but I knew we would be okay.

I smiled back at him before plunging in. "Darren, I need to ask you some questions, and I need you to answer me honestly."

He nodded hesitantly.

"How often do you call Rita or Jeff for help, or just go visit them?"

With a sheepish look, Darren replied quietly, "Um...maybe once a week.".

I tried to maintain my calm. "MAYBE once a week? So that means that in two months, you've hardly seen an adult besides me? You couldn't have been to the recording label at all...haven't they asked for you to come in?"

"Uh...yes? But I've been putting them off."

"Why, Dare? I know you've been writing great stuff. I've heard it."

"At first it was true that I didn't think I should leave Harry...then the longer it went, the harder it got..."

"Darren, I'm so sorry. You've been worried about me being depressed, and I haven't noticed that you've been buried here at home. We have to get you back out there..."

"I know, Rhi."

"We're inviting Rita and Jeff over for dessert and we're going to plan a schedule for you to have some time away from Harry for some adult interaction, okay? At least twice a week, or more if they're up for it, all right?"

Darren nodded, leaning over to give me an intense kiss. "I love you so much, Rhiannon."

"I love you more, Darren," I responded with a smile, reaching for the phone.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I ordered pizza, after which we piled the make-up back into the bags from the store. I suggested returning it, but Darren was too embarrassed, so I didn't push him. We decided to distribute it to the teachers at school for the kids to use for plays or dress up or whatever. We saved ONE black eyeliner for us to use with our costumes.

Then I called Rita and Jeff, asking them to come for an emergency planning session later that evening. Over chocolate sundaes, we figured out a schedule that would allow Darren to go to the studio or a movie or just visit with the friends he hadn't seen much of lately several times a week. Both of our friends apologized for not being more insistent about relieving Darren of baby duty sooner, but they had been fooled by Darren's happy act as well.

"Well..." he started...

I leaned over to kiss my husband and finished with a smile, "...he is a professional actor, you know."


	5. Home for the Holidays

Chapter 5: Home for the Holidays

"Rhiannon...we've got to go or – oh my god! - what is in Harry's baby bag? It must weigh thirty pounds! We're only going to be gone for a week! And last time I checked, they had stores in Pennsylvania! AND I'm sure your mom and Beth will have their place stocked with supplies for him."

I hurried down the stairs with my suitcase. "Very funny, Mr. Criss! I just want to be sure that we're prepared for any baby emergency on the plane. What if the flight gets delayed, or what if Harry gets sick, or..."

"What if aliens attack us in mid-air, Rhi?" my husband asked with a wry grin.

Then Darren began to address our son directly with conversation he had no chance of understanding, an adorable habit he had developed when Harry started copying our facial expressions a few weeks ago. "Harry, I am proud that you are carrying on the Criss curly hair tradition, but let's hope that your mommy did not pass her planning gene on to you."

We both burst out laughing at our son's incredibly serious expression. Now that Harry was six months old, he had morphed from a baby who needed constant care to a source of endless amusement with the noises and faces he made and the things that he did.

Actually, after we worked out a break schedule for Darren following the make-up incident, and we both started being scrupulously honest about how we were dealing with this major change in our lives, the atmosphere at home was more genuinely upbeat all around.

Rita and Jeff loved taking turns caring for Harry, and he was really connecting with both of them, smiling at them whenever they came over. I had settled into a routine at school that allowed me to see my guys once a day, which was enough to get me through until I got home. We had decided to start weaning Harry when we got back from my folks' place, so that should make things even easier.

Darren had finished the songs for his second album, and would record the final cuts as time allowed upon our return. We were both pleased that his label was being so understanding about his family life taking priority, but secretly, I was sure that the impressive sales of his first album were the reason for their generosity. They had started talking about another mini-tour, and had no problem with Darren's insistence that it not happen until the summer when I was done with school and could watch Harry full time.

But now, we were putting all thoughts of work on hold for a week so we could go home for the holidays...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Is it my turn to hold Harry yet, Aunt Rhi? Eliza's had him for..."

"At least 10 minutes, Billy," I inserted with a chuckle. "We just got here and we're not leaving for a week, so there will be plenty of time for everyone to hold him. Actually, I bet you'll both be sick of him in a few days...he's so cute and funny and..."

"I will never get sick of Harry. And he can stay here forever, Aunt Rhi," my niece interrupted me, not looking away from Harry with the rapturous smile she'd been wearing since we arrived.

"Dare, did you hear that? Harry can stay here forever. Maybe we can leave him until he's done being an annoying teenager!"

My dad and Kevin chuckled from in front of the television where all three men were watching a football game, but Darren pretended to consider the idea for a minute before coming over to give me a peck. "I think we're stuck with him, Rhi." Then, with a gentle smile he said to Eliza, "Sweetie, why don't you give Billy a turn?"

Reluctantly, Eliza started to hand Harry to her brother, and as he reached for his cousin, all six adults shouted, "Two hands!"

Billy looked offended that we would suggest that he didn't know how to hold a baby, but sighed and stuck out both arms. When they were settled in a kitchen chair, my nephew looked seriously at Harry and said, "Couldn't wait for you to get here. Now I've got one too."

"One what, honey?" Beth asked.

"A friend. Aunt Rhi has Uncle Darren. You've got Aunt Kelly. Dad has Uncle Chuck. The grandmas and grandpas have each other. Mrs. D has Grandma Criss. Even Eliza has Abby. Everyone had a friend in our family, except me. And now I have Harry!" he finished triumphantly.

The adults were all shocked into silence, and I turned my face into Darren's shoulder so no one could see the tears rolling down my cheeks. "Dare..." I choked out. "Harry's got...I never had..."

He rubbed my back, crooning, "Shhhh...it's okay, honey. Just like you always wanted...Billy is Harry's first friend."

Then Darren excused us and led me to our room for some privacy while I pulled myself together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Christmas Eve brought with it the usual kid-friendly dinner and our traditional opening of one gift each. Now that Darren knew the drill, he tried to sneak extra presents for himself and for Harry, but Eliza had been promoted to Gift Handler this year, and wouldn't allow it. Darren grumbled under his breath as we climbed the stairs, "Doesn't just look like you, Rhi. She acts likes you too!"

I chuckled, but made a mental note to talk to Beth about helping Eliza deal with what appeared to be a blossoming case of OCD. I would do whatever I could to make that sweet girl's life easier, even if it meant exposing parts of myself that no one but Darren had seen.

My parents were giving my husband and I a baby-free night as one of our gifts, taking Harry and his gear into their room until the morning. It felt a little strange, but the prospect of not needing to keep an ear cocked for our son made us both a bit giddy.

Darren shut the door firmly behind us, and smiled knowingly. "Remember the last time we were in this room on Christmas Eve, Mrs. Criss?" he asked before walking me back to lay on the bed.

My husband started nipping at my ear and then worked his way down my neck to THAT place on my collarbone while I struggled to answer. "Oh, Dare...I mean, Mr. Criss...how could I...forget it?"

Just as I let out a moan, Darren sat up suddenly, and climbed off the bed. Oh my god! Not again! I sat up, demanding, "Darren, where are you going?"

My husband flashed his adorable grin at me. "Nowhere, Rhi. I was just joking." I swatted at him, but then sobered when I realized his expression had turned very serious.

After sitting beside me on the bed, Darren took my hand in both of his, and leaned over to kiss me gently. Then, "Rhiannon, I asked Art and Lilly if they would watch Harry tonight because I wanted to talk to you."

I looked directly into my husband's eyes and waited.

"Rhiannon, even though it seems impossible, I am more grateful every day that that cab driver dropped me off at YOUR book store and YOU were the one that stayed late. It physically hurts to think that we might never have met if one or the other hadn't happened. I knew when you made me laugh the first time that you would be important in my life, but I had no idea that you would become my everything and my forever."

Naturally, I couldn't stop from crying, but I smiled through my tears at my amazing husband.

"I love our life, and I'm proud that we've worked through the...rough patches we've come across so far, but we've both been so busy with Harry and school and recording...I wanted to stop for a minute to...share something with you...just us."

"Oh, Darren...you take my breath away."

With a wink, he responded, "That's the idea, Mrs. Criss." Then he pulled a guitar - not his, so Kevin must have loaned it to him - from under the bed.

"I haven't sung to you in far too long, and although there hasn't been anything new to borrow from Glee since the show ended, this song that Finn sang at Burt and Carol's wedding says exactly what I want to say."

As I immediately realized he would, Darren sang a slow, sweet version of "Just the Way You Are." I was sobbing by the time he finished and stowed the guitar back under the bed.

After he gently wiped away my tears, then alternated between languorous kisses and removing my clothes, Darren whispered, "I love how firm and snarky you can be to the rest of the world, and how soft and sentimental you are with me."

I pulled my husband in for a kiss that left us both breathless, finally managing to express my love out loud while I undressed him. "Darren Everett Criss, every day you give all of yourself to Harry and me. And that's so much more than I could have ever dreamed."

"Just like I promised when I proposed to you in this room, Rhiannon. And I'll keep doing it. Forever." Then he began trailing his tongue down my body.

While I could still speak I panted, "Keep doing that, Dare...forever."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darren and I held hands while Harry snuggled into his daddy's chest on the plane back to California. We were excited to return to our respective work projects, but after discussing our first vacation with our son and the time we had spent strengthening our connection to each other, we were in agreement: Best. Christmas. Ever.


	6. Where It All Began

Chapter 6: Where It All Began

In the early spring we decided it was past time for Mrs. Donovan and Harry to meet, so we cleared it with both our families to celebrate his first birthday at her house in Wisconsin. Luckily, Mrs. Donovan's latest tenant would graduate in May, so when we told her that we would like to visit over the summer, she decided not to advertise for another one until the fall. Darren and I were beyond excited to stay "where it all began."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I can't believe we're here, Darren!" I exclaimed with a wide grin. He reached over to squeeze my hand as he negotiated the last few turns to our destination.

"There she is, Dare! There she is! Look, Harry! It's Mrs. D!" I had called my former landlady when we reached the outskirts of my old neighborhood and it looked like she had been waiting on her front porch for us ever since.

Darren had barely put the car in park when I jumped out and ran up the stairs to wrap my arms around Mrs. Donovan. We were both laughing and crying, and we kept alternating hugs with holding each other at arm's length, as if we had to visually reassure ourselves that the other person was real.

Darren had gotten Harry out of the car and was approaching us at a more normal pace with a big smile on his face while he whispered in our son's ear and pointed at Mrs. Donovan.

When my guys entered her line of sight, Mrs. Donovan's smile broadened to take in the rest of my family. She whispered, "Oh, Rhiannon...Darren...he's so...precious...can I..."

Darren gave her a peck on the cheek and immediately handed Harry over to her. Our son stared at her for a few seconds, and then patted her cheek gently with his chubby hand. As we had been practicing, he very distinctly said, "D...D," and then laid his curl-covered head on the elderly lady's shoulder.

Thankfully, my husband was still standing beside her, because it seemed like she might collapse under the emotional weight of our reunion. Darren snuck an arm around her waist while I opened the door so we could all make it inside to get reacquainted.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Darren had put Harry down for a nap after taking him to the park so Mrs. Donovan and I could visit without any interruptions.

He leaned down to kiss me softly when he found me laying on the bed...the same bed where we had made love for the first time. Realizing that I might need to talk, he lay down beside me, took my hand and brushed some hair from my face. "How are you feeling, Rhi?"

I smiled sadly at him, replying, "That's the first thing you asked me after we... Up until then I couldn't get over how understanding you were because of how...slowly you took everything for me, but THAT was when I knew you were the kindest person I had ever met. You didn't even hint at leaving when you could have walked away with no one being the wiser. You were worried about me right up until you got out of my car at your hotel...and you were concerned about Megan too, remember? You wanted to make sure that she was taken care of when I visited you in..."

Darren put his finger to my lips. "Sweetie...what's wrong?"

I inhaled shakily before replying, "Oh, Darren, nothing really. I'm just...emotional being here with all the reminders of...and Mrs. Donovan..." I trailed off as my eyes started to fill.

"What, Rhiannon? Is she okay?"

Trying to control myself, I responded, "I think so...it's just...she's slowed down so much...and I'm worried about her managing on her own...and being lonely...and..." I couldn't keep from crying any longer.

Surrounding me with his love, Darren whispered, "Harry's party will give us all something happy to focus on." He pulled back to smile at me, kissing me softly while I sniffled, nodding through my tears.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry did provide endless entertainment with all the new feats he accomplished every day - he took his first real steps in Mrs. Donovan's living room! - so we had a lot to smile about, even before the party. At my request, Darren took tons of pictures of various combinations of us so I could add them to our family album.

Sometimes I would catch Mrs. Donovan looking at Harry wistfully. When I asked her if everything was all right, she would only reply, "Just making memories, Rhiannon," before hugging me and changing the subject.

I had invited Laura to Harry's party, and she brought her husband and daughters. Unfortunately, Margie had moved to Illinois to attend college - she said I had inspired her - but she sent a copy of "Owl Babies," a book she knew that I loved to read out loud.

After we opened gifts and had cake - Harry smeared enough on himself to make up for what I had missed at our wedding - Darren and Michael, Laura's husband, talked sports and music while Laura and I cleaned up Harry and the general mess so we could catch up. Chloe and Frannie entertained themselves with the badminton set Darren had found in Mrs. Donovan's basement. Our hostess relaxed in the shade with a glass of lemonade, seeming to enjoy observing all the activity.

Laura and her family said their goodbyes after a while, and I handed Harry off to Darren so I could check on Mrs. D. I found her still in the backyard, and we smiled at each other, not breaking the silence. Suddenly she grabbed my hand so tightly that it almost hurt. "Rhiannon..." she started in an impassioned tone.

I waited for her to gather her thoughts, trying to convey my love and support through our clasped hands.

"Rhiannon," she began again, a bit calmer. "I can't tell you how happy I am to have maybe nudged you along the path to your beautiful family."

Interrupting her a bit more forcefully than I intended, I assured her, "Mrs. Donovan, you pushed me to meet people when I would have actively avoided them. You let me feel comfortable about leaving Megan to visit Darren that first time, which I could have easily used as an excuse to stay home. You ordered me multiple times to pursue him, not letting me think I wasn't good enough for him. I'm not sure I would have had the courage without..." I trailed off as a lump formed in my throat.

"Rhiannon," she started one more time, "I want you to know that you always meant more to me than just a tenant, or even a friend. Our marriage was a happy one, but there was always a hole because my husband and I couldn't have children. When you came along, you were like a...bright, sparkling gift. You were so sweet and smart, but didn't believe in yourself, and I'm just glad that I could help..." She wiped away the tears that had started to fall down her cheeks before continuing, "Then Darren popped up, and now you've got that amazing little boy."

"I couldn't have done it without you, Mrs. Donovan," I choked out. "I'm just sorry that we can't see you more..."

"Those DVDs you send me are more than enough to make an old lady happy, Rhiannon. Just promise me one thing - no matter what, don't ever forget the connection that you told me you felt with Darren right off the bat. Connections are what get you through."

She paused again, and struggled to stand. Darren had just come out the back door, and hurried over to help her. After she was upright, she hugged him, whispering in his ear, "You take care of your family, young man. And don't forget to stop by my house next time you visit." She gave him a peck on the cheek, waving off any further assistance, saying she was worn out from the party and needed a nap.

My husband kneeled in front of me, holding my hands and leaning his forehead on mine, both of us so grateful that this very special lady was in our lives.


	7. Whenever a Door Closes

Chapter 7: Whenever a Door Closes...

"What did you do with them, Darren?" I mumbled under my breath as I opened one cabinet and drawer after another.

I was looking for the frog paper plates I had bought on sale several months before when I heard the mail sliding through the slot in the front door.

Deciding to take a break from my search, I sorted through the envelopes. "Bill... junk...junk..." The next piece made me smile. It was a padded envelope with Mrs. Donovan's return address on it. She'd probably sent Harry a book for his second birthday in a few days...but wait, that wasn't her handwriting...

I sat down on the couch to examine the mysterious package, carefully pulling the flap up, and finding a smaller envelope and a DVD in a plastic case inside. Baffled, I opened the inner envelope, startled to find a letter on a law firm's letterhead. What in the world?

Scanning the letter, tears began to run unbidden down my cheeks. I slid to the floor, collapsed in a heap and wept uncontrollably...

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Rhi, I'm home!" I heard Darren call as if he was very far away. "I got everything on the list, except I'm not sure about the balloons," he shouted as he poked his head into various rooms looking for me. "Neither the clerk nor I knew what 'frog green' meant, so we picked sort of a medium...Rhi? Honey? Are you here?"

A whimper loud enough for my husband to hear escaped my lips, drawing him back to the living room. "Rhiannon! WHERE ARE YOU?" he yelled from behind the couch, sounding increasingly desperate because he couldn't see me until he looked down...

"Oh my god, Rhi!" he exclaimed as he crouched by my side. "What happened?" He started to dial 911 on his phone, but I stopped him with my hand on his arm.

"Don't move, Rhi! If you're hurt, you need to lie..."

"I'm...not hurt, Darren," I said, barely audible and still shuddering occasionally from crying so intensely. I continued, this time a little louder, "Can you...help me up?"

My husband immediately wrapped his arms around my waist and slowly lifted me onto the couch. "Rhi, baby, what...what can I do? What...happened?" he asked, stroking my hair, desperate to comfort me in my obviously distraught state.

"Just hold me, Dare, please?" I begged plaintively.

"Forever, Rhiannon," he declared, rocking me like a baby until my body was no longer wracked by silent sobs and I dropped off into a dreamless sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I woke abruptly, disoriented and gasping for breath. I repeatedly screamed, "HARRY! DARREN! WHERE IS HARRY?"

Darren came hurtling into our room, cradling me in his arms to calm me. Over and over he chanted, "Harry is with Jeff...Harry is fine..." until it finally sunk in.

"Oh, Darren," I exhaled unsteadily, "Mrs. Donovan...she's dead..."

"I know, Rhi. I found the letter after I got you into bed. I'm so sorry, sweetie. She meant so much to you...to us..." he said soothingly as he stroked my cheek.

I tried to absorb my husband's strength and love as he laid down beside me so we were face to face, clutching each other's hands.

"Just close your eyes, Rhi. You need to sleep right now...your brain is...overwhelmed with the shock..."

Exhausted and without any real intent, I replied, "But, Darren, it's dinner time. Jeff will be bringing Harry home from the zoo soon. I need to finish the party stuff before..."

"Rhiannon," Darren started firmly to get my attention. "Jeff is keeping Harry overnight. The party stuff can wait. You and I are going to get into our PJs, and we're going to sleep until you're ready to wake up. Then we'll talk about this if you want to, okay?"

I nodded hesitantly. After a chaste kiss, Darren got up to fetch my pajamas and change into his own. For the millionth time I asked myself, what had I done to deserve this amazing man?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After waking alone and in complete darkness, Darren began searching the house for me again, trying to block out the memories of that afternoon's panic. He found me hunched over on the couch crying quietly. The only light came from a paused picture of Mrs. Donovan on our big screen television.

"Rhiannon?" Darren said softly as he gathered me in his arms. "Honey, you should have waited...I would have watched it with you..."

I sniffled, trying to stem the flow of tears. "I needed to watch it by myself first, Darren, but please..."

"Anything, Rhi...just tell me what you need me to do."

"Please, watch it with me..."

Darren reached for the remote and pressed stop and then play, keeping an arm around me the whole time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Just like before, I jumped when Mrs. Donovan's face and upper body appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. It looked like she was in her lawyer's office, and she was definitely uncomfortable.

She said, talking to someone behind the camera, "Are you sure it's working? How do I know if it's really..."

A disembodied but kind male voice assured her, "It's working, Millicent. That red light means it's recording. Whenever you're ready..."

Mrs. Donovan nodded, straightened her shoulders and started talking in a strangely stiff manner directly into the camera.

"Rhiannon. If you are watching this, then that means I have passed away. I am so sorry that you had to find out like this, but I did not want you to spend your time worrying about...I almost told you so many times...after they found the cancer, the doctors gave me no more than two years. I didn't want you to waste your energy on something no one could do anything about. I wanted you to focus on Darren, and Harry, and that school you work at...that's as it should be.

"You know I'm no fan of modern technology, but Darren gave me the idea to send you a video with all those DVDs of Harry he...burned?...for me to watch. I think that's the right word. I wanted you to see my face so that you know I mean what I'm saying...

She sounded more like herself now, obviously relaxing into what she intended to tell us.

"I tried to tell you when you visited last summer that you've become like a granddaughter to me. And, when you moved to California, it meant more than I could ever say that you and Darren didn't forget an old lady who isn't even part of your family..."

"Yes, you are..." I whispered and Darren squeezed me more tightly..

"Anyway, your happiness has brought me so much joy...I can't even..."

A tissue was passed to her by an unseen hand, and she wiped her eyes before continuing.

"Rhiannon...Darren...there's no reason that you would know this, but when Walter died, he left me...more than comfortable. I didn't really need to rent out our second house, but it was always nice to have someone close by. Plus, it brought me the three of you. So...I hope you're sitting down," she said with a half-smile.

Darren gave me a puzzled look, but I directed his attention back to the screen.

"For the last ten years, I've invested almost all of the rent I've gotten - including Rhi's - since I had more than enough to take care of my own expenses. The mortgages on both houses were paid long ago, and my needs were simple, so over the years, that's grown to a tidy sum. Until Rhi came into my life, I wasn't sure what I was saving that money for, but then I knew. So, first, I'm leaving you...how much is it again?" she asked the camera operator, nodding at his response, although he replied too quietly for us to hear. "Depending on when you are watching this, it will be at least $75,000."

Darren sucked in his breath.

"Second, I've transferred the deeds to the two houses to you as well. I don't expect you to move back to Wisconsin, but the housing market should do well by you. As you know, Rhi, they make excellent starter homes, and yours is decorated so nicely...all that work you put in..." she trailed off with a distant look before speaking again.

"My real estate agent thinks that you'll get at least $120,000 for each of them, but that could go a little lower...or a little higher."

Darren finally turned to stare at me with his mouth gaping open. I nuzzled his cheek, then pointed back to the television. "There's more?" he whispered in disbelief.

I nodded as Mrs. Donovan continued.

"Now, I know that you both have been hatching plans that you thought you would never have the...wherewithal to make happen, so you are NOT to put this money in the bank for a rainy day. You buy a bigger house so that your darling boy can have his own room when your other bundle of joy comes along."

Darren turned to look at me questioningly. "I mentioned to her a while ago that we wanted a sibling for Harry, but weren't sure where we would put...everyone..."

Our attention was drawn back to the screen when Mrs. Donovan started talking again.

"Darren, you start working on your own...label? Is that right? You told me once on the phone, but I can't remember... You are so talented and such a generous soul...now you can help other musical folks achieve their dreams, just like you have."

"And, Rhiannon...sweetheart...you were so brave to go back to school so you could do what you were born to do. You give those kids what they need to be happy and make their way in the world because you don't want them to be lonely and uncertain like you were. Now that you've got some experience under your belt, you need to start planning for your own place so you can do it the way you want...maybe at a camp, like you used to talk about when you would visit me while you were in school? The fire in your eyes told me you would get there some day, and this will get you there sooner."

Darren and I were both weeping silently now, but Mrs. Donovan wasn't quite finished.

"When you're ready, call the number on the letter you got with the video, and they'll know what to do.

"I think that's everything. No, I want you to remember one more thing...Rhiannon, remember when we used to watch 'The Sound of Music'? You changed the way they said it, but it's still true. You're sad right now, but that will lessen with time, and when it does, I want you to remember, whenever a door closes..."

She paused, and I recited with her, "...somewhere a window opens."


	8. Somewhere a Window Opens

Chapter 8: ...Somewhere a Window Opens

Making lunch in our still-new-to-us kitchen and enjoying the May sunshine pouring in through its many windows, I smiled as I could hear two of my three guys on the baby monitor.

"Harry, if you wake your brother, Mommy is not going to be happy."

"Daddy, why Van sleep so much?"

"That's what babies do. You slept all the time when you were two months old. That's pretty much all you did...sleep and eat and fill your diaper."

"I not wear diaper. I three!" our older son declared and I could visualize him holding up three of his chubby little fingers with a proud look on his face.

I could barely make out Darren urging Harry to leave the nursery and head down the stairs. Soon I could hear them again with no assistance. "Not quite three, Harry...in about six weeks. Let's go see what Mommy's got cooking. Maybe grilled cheese, if we're lucky."

Harry thundered down the hall to the kitchen. "We have grilled cheese, Mommy?"

"You got it, Sweetie," I replied. "Climb up on your stool to wash your hands, and then get in your seat. You can munch on baby carrots until it's ready."

Darren followed Harry, who looked more and more like his father every day, and stood behind me, nibbling on my neck. "Hmmmm...Mrs. Criss, you smell so good...just like...grilled cheese sandwiches."

"Thank you, Mr. Criss," I replied, leaning back into my husband for a few seconds. I plated the finished sandwich, and gave it to Harry, making sure he had everything he needed.

I started another sandwich and turned to Darren, placing my hand gently on his cheek. "You feeling okay, Honey? Any pain?"

"Just a bit sore, but that's to be expected, according to the doctor. I'm just sorry I can't lift Harry or Van for a few more days...and that we can't engage in any 'therapy' for another week and a half," he said with a grin in his voice, wiggling his eyebrows.

"It will be worth it, Dare...just think, no more..." I paused, checking that Harry was busy arranging carrots around his sandwich before spelling, "...C-O-N-D-O-M-S!"

"It's totally worth it, Mrs. Criss! All of our plans are working out perfectly. Thanks to Mrs. Donovan, we're really on our way..."

My eyes still filled with tears when I thought about our dear friend...like now. I nodded in agreement, and when I could, I added, "I'm just sad that she'll never know Van."

"She knows him, Rhi. She knows all about him," Dare reassured me. Then my husband wrapped his arms around me for comfort, knowing full well that my thoughts would turn to the aftermath of when we had learned of Mrs. Donovan's passing.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We finally settled down after watching the video together, wandering hand-in-hand into the kitchen to eat something since neither of us had had any dinner. Paying very little attention to what I was doing, I pulled sandwich makings out of the fridge, as Darren was in worse shape than I was, having had less time to process what we had just learned.

Finally, he said, "Rhi...I don't...I can't...how did she...that's over...$300,000!"

"I know, Dare. She is...was...a miracle. She is...was my first friend, and now she has made...everything possible for us."

Darren seemed to have regained his equilibrium as he started to tick off what we should do. Maybe some of my planning habits were starting to rub off on him. "We'll have to call the law firm, and then probably get a financial advisor of our own, and maybe a lawyer, and..."

I walked over to put my finger on my husband's lips. "Dare..." I interrupted him. "Make love to me...no condom...please"

Darren's eyes widened, and it took him a minute to respond. "But, Rhi, isn't this one of your fertile days? I know we've discussed this, but what if we get..."

"That's the point, Dare. I want to complete our family, and now we can. That's what she wanted for us..."

"If you're sure, Rhiannon..."

"I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life, Dare...except you."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next morning we called the law firm to put the wheels in motion. At their recommendation, we hired a local lawyer who specialized in financial investments. We contacted Mrs. Donovan's real estate agent in Wisconsin as well. Everyone who knew her said how pleased she had been to be able to provide this unbelievable opportunity for us.

Within six weeks, my daily nausea returned, and a visit to Dr. Dochios confirmed that we were pregnant again. By the time I was ready to deliver, Darren and I had concluded that our family would be perfect once LB - Little Boy - arrived, so after the baby and I passed our two month health check-ups, Darren would have a vasectomy. Our research showed the procedure would require a much shorter recuperation period for him than a hysterectomy would for me, plus it would mean fewer long-term side effects.

Mrs. Donovan's houses were sold within three months, after which the proceeds and the invested rent were transferred into our accounts. We immediately put our place on the market and started looking for a bigger one in the San Francisco area. We wanted to be close to Darren's family, but still be within reasonable travel distance of LA for his work and for Jeff, Rita, Chris, and Lea to visit.

Our goal was to be ready to move shortly after the baby arrived, and it didn't take long for us to find a beautiful redwood house on several acres near Oakland that was perfect. It was big enough for Harry and LB to each have their own rooms, as well as for Darren's studio and our joint office - we liked being able to look at each other across our double desk too much to give it up. It also had a master suite to give us a bit of privacy, and a guest suite for visiting family and friends. Best of all, it had recently been renovated by someone whose taste meshed with ours, so we only had to redecorate the boys' rooms before moving in.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nine months after...that night, Donovan Arthur joined the Criss clan. I could almost hear the last connection clicking into place when we named our second son after Mrs. D. Harry couldn't pronounce his brother's full name, though, so LB quickly became Van. I was worried that his different, but hopefully not too different, name would bother him. Darren reassured me that, when he was old enough, we would explain to our youngest why he should carry it proudly in memory of the woman who opened more than one window for his family, as well as many others.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry's shout brought me back to the present.

"Mommy! Dessert!"

I gave my older son a look he had seen many times.

"Sorry, Mommy! Dessert...please?" he tried again, using those puppy dog eyes he had inherited from Darren and knew how to use all too well.

Reaching in the cabinet for a container of cookies I had made the day before, I put two on his plate and kissed him on the forehead when he looked up to flash a smaller version of his father's adorable grin at me. We were in so much trouble with this one!

Darren chuckled from his spot at the stove where he had taken over monitoring the grilled cheese, so I wrapped my arms around him to whisper in his ear, "I love our new home. I love that your new label is doing so well. I love getting ready for the new camp next summer. I love our new…life."

I paused to turn him around so I could match my lips to his before finishing, "I love the boys and you so much, my dearest Darren."

Darren started to kiss me back, but we both burst out laughing when Harry asked very loudly around a mouthful of cookie, "What C-O-N-D-O-M-S?"

Nearing THE END...


End file.
